I thought he was a very good safety. Came up with some big picks and the defense improved greatly when he changed to safety and Dennard along with Talib took the corners. My problem with McCourty was when he played corner he wouldn't look back at the ball, ever. He'd either get flagged it give up the big completion. At safety he can play with everything in front of him and use his elite speed to close in.

I thought he was a very good safety. Came up with some big picks and the defense improved greatly when he changed to safety and Dennard along with Talib took the corners. My problem with McCourty was when he played corner he wouldn't look back at the ball, ever. He'd either get flagged it give up the big completion. At safety he can play with everything in front of him and use his elite speed to close in.

I kinda think it was more of Talib raising the play of those around him. Thing went in the crapper rather quickly after he left the AFCCG.

I'll tell you what tcal, you're not afraid to call it as you see it. Two years ago you were saying how much Chung sucked...you were right. Last year you were saying how pathetically average Mayo is...I think you're right on that one. You hated Maroney and Merriweather.

I'll say this about McCourty, we don't really know if he can play free safety, but we know he can't play corner. When you're as young as he is and have to make a position change into your third season...there should be some doubts. I have my doubts. The koolaiders that crap pictures of Bob Kraft think he is the second coming of Ed Reed - I'm hoping he can be solid, but he should be giving us at least solid (he's a first round pick). It cracks me up when people say we can't expect these guys to be special players...now we can't even expect that out of our first round picks??

McCourty finished his rookie season, having started all 16 games, with 82 tackles, 7 interceptions, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles and 17 passes defensed. He was named to the 2011 Pro Bowl, and was named a First Team All-Pro by the Sporting News and Second Team All-Pro by The Associated Press. Other than winner Ndamukong Suh, McCourty was the only rookie to earn votes (2 of 50) for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Last year McCourty was our best player in the backfield, he led the entire team with 5 interceptions, passes defensed with 13, was second on the entire team with 60 tackles, had two forced fumbles.

During week seven on October 21, 2012, McCourty got his first career kickoff return touchdown in a 29-26 overtime win against the New York Jets. McCourty was subsequently named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 7.

In week ten McCourty's interception at the end of the game sealed the fate of the Bills who were making a last minute come back. McCourty first made a goal-line strip of Fred Jackson on a drive that seemed destined for a touchdown. Two drives later, McCourty ended a potential game-winning drive with an end-zone interception, essentially winning the game all by himself.

Playing cornerback gives McCourty the best opportunity to make big plays but he plays safety because it makes the entire defense better, his athleticism and ball skills have led him to 14 interception and 43 total pass defenses through the first 46 games of his career, with 197 tackles it adds up to some impressive totals.

The defensive backfield have done an admirable job in the three years Devin has been a Patriot, ranking 1st, 2nd and 5th to lead the NFL in interceptions, it's especially impressive considering this defense hasn't ranked in the top half of the NFL in sacks for the past three years.

Anyone knocking McCourty should consider following tennis instead, because you don't know squat about football.

The guy had a fantastic first year then fell apart year 2 and had to switch positions year 3.You know wozzy your right.I believe that’s the same career path Joe Montana took. Didn't we have a similar discussion about Laura Maroney a few years back? You argued he was good and I tried to tell you he wasn't.

Oh well. that’s why they don’t hand out Yellow Jackets based on one year.

McCourty finished his rookie season, having started all 16 games, with 82 tackles, 7 interceptions, 1 sack, 2 forced fumbles and 17 passes defensed. He was named to the 2011 Pro Bowl, and was named a First Team All-Pro by the Sporting News and Second Team All-Pro by The Associated Press. Other than winner Ndamukong Suh, McCourty was the only rookie to earn votes (2 of 50) for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Last year McCourty was our best player in the backfield, he led the entire team with 5 interceptions, passes defensed with 13, was second on the entire team with 60 tackles, had two forced fumbles.

During week seven on October 21, 2012, McCourty got his first career kickoff return touchdown in a 29-26 overtime win against the New York Jets. McCourty was subsequently named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 7.

In week ten McCourty's interception at the end of the game sealed the fate of the Bills who were making a last minute come back. McCourty first made a goal-line strip of Fred Jackson on a drive that seemed destined for a touchdown. Two drives later, McCourty ended a potential game-winning drive with an end-zone interception, essentially winning the game all by himself.

Playing cornerback gives McCourty the best opportunity to make big plays but he plays safety because it makes the entire defense better, his athleticism and ball skills have led him to 14 interception and 43 total pass defenses through the first 46 games of his career, with 197 tackles it adds up to some impressive totals.

The defensive backfield have done an admirable job in the three years Devin has been a Patriot, ranking 1st, 2nd and 5th to lead the NFL in interceptions, it's especially impressive considering this defense hasn't ranked in the top half of the NFL in sacks for the past three years.

Anyone knocking McCourty should consider following tennis instead, because you don't know squat about football.

Interceptions are a meaningless stat, more on the QB than the defender. An argument can be made that McCourty dropped more potential INT's than he actually caught.

To call McCourty the best DB on the Pats is also laughable. That is even more meaningless.

The guy was a number 1 draft choice. He should be an above average player. He was very much so year 1. Year 2 (injury?) he was not above average. Year 3 at CB he was average, with as many negative plays as positive as a CB. After moving to S his play improved but much of that is also due to Talib, Dennerd and Arrington also playing well.

Woz, you make this guy out to be a pro bowler. He is not. He is solid. Need a #1 to be more than solid.

Lets assume this: McCourty plays S all year, to the same level he played S this year. The Pats win the Super Bowl. Do the Pats sign McCourty to the exact same contract that Goldson signed? I say they don't do it.

McCourty didn't fall apart year two, the defensive backfield fell apart, at safety in particular with injuries to Chung and others. McCourty was moved back there because it shored up the long bombs we were giving up. Belichick has a history of doing this, like when he drafted a cornerback out of Illinois and moved him to Free Safety named Eugene Wilson.

You guys don't see a pattern here do you, on every thread on this site you knock ALL of our players, hell on game day I can remember gems like "Wilfork is losing it" and "Brady can't throw the long ball anymore" or our All Pro, Pro Bowl linebacker who leads the entire NFL is tackles Jerod Mayo "sux."

Oh I know, stats are meaningless, tackles and interceptions don't mean anything... I would never prescribe pills to anyone, but you guys should seriously get on some happy pills. Or better yet, go be Bengals fans, that way you could revel in how badly your team actually does sux.

I have never come on the board and said a player "sux"....ever. IN season, I am never critical of the players, and usually see positives with the coaching staff.

The time to improve the team is in the off season, thru FA and the draft. I have been critical of the personel decisions made at those times, and I have comments on play during camps...

Saying other than year 1, McCourt has been average is not saying all our players "sux". But yes, I am expecting a #1 draft choice to play better than McCourty did in years 2 and 3 (I did give him a semi pass on year 2 due to injury)..

Again, even winning the SB, do the Pats resign McCourty if he wants Goldson money?

Not true. I will be the first in line to compliment him on a great season. But when a number 1 plays simply average in years 2 and 3 , I don't find that acceptable.

Also lets not forget the contracts Brady, Mankins and Vince signed. Pats do sign some players to major contracts.

The Pat's signed their own foundation players to contracts, three players who arguably are the best at their respective positions in the NFL, and they didn't over pay. If in his final year McCourty continues to shine and improve Belichick will extend him in a similar fashion. Maybe with a pass rush in front of him Devin will flourish and it's highly likely because he has a nose for the ball.

That being said McCourty is a free safety and a lot depends on how much stock BB puts into that position, I'm sure he thinks he can replace the free safety position with any oversized cornerback. Strong Safety has been a point of contention for us more than free safety, when McCourty was moved there last season it's because we had neither because both positions were decimated by injury and we had undrafted free agents playing corner, he needed his best player on the back end of the defense to clean up mistakes.

You're comment above that McCourty takes bad angles is garbage, he was put at free safety simply because he doesn't take bad angles and has the speed to erase mistakes by less than spectacular corners, and it automatically shored up the long bomb plays we were allowing. When they added Dennard and Talib, two physical corners who could play bump and run to replace the undrafted free agents, it was even more effective.

Leading the 5th best team in the NFL at interceptions is better than average, being the 2nd leading tackler on our team is better than average, returning kicks effectively is better than average, sacrificing himself to take a position (a traditionally lower paid position) to help the team should be commended instead of mocked by chicken hawk, ungrateful fans who prove their ignorance by knocking our best players on a defense that surely needs them.

McCourty didn't fall apart year two, the defensive backfield fell apart, at safety in particular with injuries to Chung and others. McCourty was moved back there because it shored up the long bombs we were giving up. Belichick has a history of doing this, like when he drafted a cornerback out of Illinois and moved him to Free Safety named Eugene Wilson.

You guys don't see a pattern here do you, on every thread on this site you knock ALL of our players, hell on game day I can remember gems like "Wilfork is losing it" and "Brady can't throw the long ball anymore" or our All Pro, Pro Bowl linebacker who leads the entire NFL is tackles Jerod Mayo "sux."

Oh I know, stats are meaningless, tackles and interceptions don't mean anything... I would never prescribe pills to anyone, but you guys should seriously get on some happy pills. Or better yet, go be Bengals fans, that way you could revel in how badly your team actually does sux.

Not true. I will be the first in line to compliment him on a great season. But when a number 1 plays simply average in years 2 and 3 , I don't find that acceptable.

Also lets not forget the contracts Brady, Mankins and Vince signed. Pats do sign some players to major contracts.

The Pat's signed their own foundation players to contracts, three players who arguably are the best at their respective positions in the NFL, and they didn't over pay. If in his final year McCourty continues to shine and improve Belichick will extend him in a similar fashion. Maybe with a pass rush in front of him Devin will flourish and it's highly likely because he has a nose for the ball.

That being said McCourty is a free safety and a lot depends on how much stock BB puts into that position, I'm sure he thinks he can replace the free safety position with any oversized cornerback. Strong Safety has been a point of contention for us more than free safety, when McCourty was moved there last season it's because we had neither because both positions were decimated by injury and we had undrafted free agents playing corner, he needed his best player on the back end of the defense to clean up mistakes.

You're comment above that McCourty takes bad angles is garbage, he was put at free safety simply because he doesn't take bad angles and has the speed to erase mistakes by less than spectacular corners, and it automatically shored up the long bomb plays we were allowing. When they added Dennard and Talib, two physical corners who could play bump and run to replace the undrafted free agents, it was even more effective.

Leading the 5th best team in the NFL at interceptions is better than average, being the 2nd leading tackler on our team is better than average, returning kicks effectively is better than average, sacrificing himself to take a position (a traditionally lower paid position) to help the team should be commended instead of mocked by chicken hawk, ungrateful fans who prove their ignorance by knocking our best players on a defense that surely needs them.

Wozzy, we have and continue to see a different game. I applaud your passion and your love for all Pats. Just because I can see some faults and pass comment, doesn't make me less a fan, nor a troll. I leave blood, sweat and tears in Foxboro most Sundays in the fall just like you. I would like you to expect more from the team, and not settle for anything less than a SB. That doesn't mean you have to accept anything with a Pats logo on it. This team is not perfect and has the brains, dollars and need for improvements. Don't settle for less.